problem of clear impression on his toy printing press. He
recognized this as illogical, for he had, in all modesty, achieved
affairs of some importance. Nevertheless, the sight of his own animal
enjoying its liberty in an enclosure created by his own two hands
pleased him to the core. He grinned in appreciation of Elliott's
humorous parody on the sentimental slogan of the schools--"to make two
cedar posts grow where none grew before." There was, after all, a rather
especial satisfaction in that principle.

It next became necessary, he found, that the roof over the new office at
headquarters should receive a stain that would protect it against the
weather. He acquired a flat brush, a little seat with spikes in its
supports, and a can of stain whose base seemed to be a very
evil-smelling fish oil. Here all day long he clung, daubing on the
stain. When one shingle was done, another awaited his attention, over
and over, in unvarying monotony. It was the sort of job he had always
loathed, but he stuck to it cheerfully, driving his brush deep in the
cracks in order that no crevice might remain for the entrance of the
insidious principle of decay. Casting about in his leisure there for the
reason of his patience, he discovered it in just that; he was now at no
task to be got through with, to be made way with; he was engaged in a
job that was to be permanent. Unless he did it right, it would not be
permanent.

Below him the life of headquarters went on. He saw it all, and heard it
all, for every scrap of conversation rose to him from within the office.
He was amazed at the diversity of interests and the complexity of
problems that came there for attention.

"Look here, Mr. Thorne," said one of the rangers, "this Use Book says
that a settler has a right to graze ten head of stock _actually in use_
free of grazing charge. Now there's Brown up at the north end. He runs a
little dairy business, and has about a hundred head of cattle up. He
claims we ought not to charge him for ten head of them because they're
all 'actually in use.' How about it?"

Thorne explained that the exemption did not apply to commercial uses and
that Brown must pay for all. He qualified the statement by saying that
this was the latest interpretation of which he had heard.

In like manner the policies in regard to a dozen little industries and
interests were being patiently defined and determined--dairies, beef
cattle, shake makers, bees, box and cleat